Choosing The Best Mattress As Children Grow

25 April 2017

Parents watching a toddler nod off at the dinner table or seeing a teenager slumped across a sofa napping may question whether their child even needs a mattress. Even though a contorted nap is unlikely to cause harm, sleeping every night on a lumpy and unsupportive bed could be damaging. The growing body of a child requires the right mattress to help them to sleep deeply and feel more refreshed. Most experts recommend replacing mattresses every 7-10 years, but children have unique needs as they develop and require a more frequent replacement.

Choosing Crib Mattresses

Start with a firm mattress for cribs. The lightness of an infant's body will not suffer from a mattress that would feel too firm to someone heavier. Avoid memory foam during the first couple years of their life. The softness of a foam mattress poses a potential suffocation risk.

Buying for Toddlers

Children need something supportive but that contours to their body after they reach the age of two. An innerspring mattress with pocket coils will provide a good combination of support and cushion. Memory foam is an acceptable choice for children this age, and the risk of suffocation no longer a concern. Children with allergies will benefit from a latex foam because this material naturally repels dust mites. Warm sleepers may not enjoy a basic memory foam mattress that tends to trap heat. Either purchase a mattress with a layer of cooling gel or cover with a pad to prevent overheating.

Investing in Teenagers

Once children reach their teen years their needs will become more varied. The size and personal preference of each child are important to consider. Allowing the child to try out the mattresses is a good idea to be certain the bed offers the level of support that is comfortable for them. Hybrid mattresses are often the perfect solution for teens because they have both an innerspring for support and memory foam to meet the contours of their body.

At one time it was believed that children should sleep only on very firm beds until they were grown. That is no longer the popular opinion. Recommendations today are for soft, supportive beds that fit the natural curves of the body. Children will spend 10 or more hours in bed every day in order to get the level of sleep they need. It is very important that those hours are spent on a mattress that comforts their body and allows them to sleep deeply. For more information, contact a business such as The Mattress Store.

About Me

Furniture can be a big investment. Buying a single sofa can cost you as much as buying a cheap car, so when you make the purchase, you want to be sure that you take the time to do your research. What kind of sofa do you really want? Should you have a stain protection product applied to it? What type of fabric do you want? How big should the sofa be for the space you are placing it in? You will find several tips on my blog that can help you answer these and many other questions that should be asked before making your purchase.